Monday, 9 February 2015

It's Savvy Monday! Question: Exactly how organised are you?

I'm getting really fed up with my persistently disorganised state. I know the theory of being an organised person. I start lists, and put up noticeboards around the house. I have a place to hang my keys and I have hundreds of storage boxes designed to hold particular toys belonging to different children. The problem is, I can't keep up. My intentions are brilliant but I have no follow-through. It's very frustrating.

So, I thought to myself, what are some habits of organised people? There must be something that I am missing from my daily practice that stops me staying on track. I'm tired of feeling like I'm constantly chasing my tail trying to keep up with everything. It's time for big change.

Naturally, I googled it. And I think I've found out where I've been going wrong. There's loads of websites dedicated to improving organisation, and while I know of lot of this stuff, there are some things that have stood out. Things that might be doing me more harm than good.

These are the things I've highlighted for me personally:

1. Decluttering and Donating - I am a 'save for a rainy day' type person. Especially with our twins, I like to keep stuff that the older kids no longer use for when the babies are big enough to enjoy it. But we also have a lot of junk that I could go through and minimise. I think being 'ruthless' is the key here.

2. Every Chore is Written Down - apparently the organised lot write every little thing down, no matter how trivial it seems. I have to-do lists. That is no problem. I think my problem with adhering to them is described further on. Keep reading.

3. Proper Planning - For organised people, 'no job - however big or small - is ever done without a plan.' Fair enough. Enough of my 'winging it and hoping for the best' theory then.

4. Exact Documentation - Definitely understanding the value in this one. I've lost count of the times I've neglected to write down a reference number, or the name of who I was speaking to, or the date I've paid something. As well as this, I also have a file now to put 'bills to be paid' and 'paid bills' in. Yeah I know, pathetic that I've only just sorted this! What have I been doing all this time? (answer = 'winging it' - see above).

5. No Procrastination - This is the big problem for me. I am terrible for it. When I have a list that's long and looming, I get overwhelmed and start procrastinating rather than getting stuck in. Apparently, 'super-organized people do not procrastinate. When they need to get something done, they just do it.' This goes for 'cleaning as I go' and other things that would be much better done in the moment rather than waiting til later.

Number 5 is my biggest problem. I need to stop avoiding my lists and work through them, one thing at a time (a mantra I use VERY often with four children). As well as this, I need to use lists more. And remember where I've put them (another key organisation point: everything has its place).

So here's what I've sorted this weekend:

* a noticeboard dedicated to newsletters and notes from Mr B's school
* a whiteboard stuck to the fridge reminding me of what's on each week for the big kids (sports day, library day, show and tell etc)
* a new file to hold all the important documents that need to go somewhere safe rather than be stuck at the back of the medicine cupboard
* a routine chart for Mr B to get himself as ready as possible each morning

If disorganisation is a big thing for you, check out Buzzle for the full list. I also found this website really helpful for all matters related to being on top of your game.

Good luck in all your organised endeavours! As always, I'll let you know how I get on!

So are you a super organised person? I'd love to hear your tips: what saves you when it come to keeping control in your household or life? Or are you a bit like me, on the struggle? Is there something you plan to try from this list to help you?

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Thanks for stopping by!

Hi, I'm Laney! I have four kids that include twin toddlers. They are all really cute and really needy. I write about our family chaos and the times I don't get this parenting thing right. Which is a lot of the time! But hey, that's what wine o'clock is for, right?